Oral tradition claims this to be Luray’s “Slave Auction Block”, though history suggests otherwise

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the story of this stone was heavily influenced by oral stories. As such, an interpretive sign was placed by the local heritage group, laying claim that it was used as a slave auction block. Despite this, there was a published article in the local newspaper, written by local Judge John Heiskell Booton, in December 1927, which made claims to the contrary, and provided provenance for the stone.

Text of the interpretive marker near the block. Though the article written by Judge Booton was located before this signage was placed, and Booton provided detailed provenance for the block, his account was ignored when the text for the sign was written. While I disagree with the interpretation of the stone, I am using it as an entry point for historically documented accounts of slaves in Page County, to include an actual documented auction that took place south of Luray, near what is now known as Stanley.